The Green Bay Packers' legendary right guard was nominated as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame through the seniors committee Thursday. It’s the 11th time, and the first in 20 years, that Kramer has been a finalist, more than any current player not enshrined in Canton.

It also threatens to end perhaps the most avid drive to induct a player in the Hall of Fame’s long history.

For years now, Kramer has been considered the best football player not in the Hall of Fame. A member of the 1960s All-Decade team, he was a staple of coach Vince Lombardi’s five world titles during the "Glory Years" dynasty, including Super Bowls I and II.

Kramer, 81, was best known for making the block that ushered quarterback Bart Starr into the end zone, winning the NFL championship against the Dallas Cowboys in the 1967 Ice Bowl.

Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi is carried off the field after his team defeated the Oakland Raiders 33-14 in Super Bowl II in Miami, Fla., in this Jan. 14, 1968 file photo. Packers guard Jerry Kramer (64) is at right.
AP

The officials signal a touchdown as Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr (15) dives across the goal line for the game-winning score in the NFL championship game -- the Ice Bowl -- at Lambeeau Field on Dec. 31, 1967. Guard Jerry Kramer (64) lays on the ground with Dallas defensive tackle Jethro Pugh on top of him. The Packers defeated the Cowboys 21-17 on a 13-below day. Press-Gazette archives
Press-Gazette Media archives

Donny Anderson (44) of the Green Bay Packers dashes into the end zone on a 2 yard run in the third period of Super Bowl II in Miami, January 14, 1968. On the ground under Anderson is (42) Oakland's linebacker Bill Laskey. Other Packers players are (64) Jerry Kramer and (81) Marv Fleming. Green Bay won 33-14. (AP Photo)
AP

Jerry Kramer, former Green Bay Packers offensive guard (1958 to 1968), greeted fans at the Oshkoshs Paper Tiger for a book signing of his new edition of Instant Replay. Carolyn Percival of Oshkosh was first in line to meet Jerry Kramer.
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Paul Hornung, Willie Davis, Jerry Kramer and Donald Driver pose for a photo with guests at the US Venture Open VIP reception Wednesday, August 10, 2016 in Holland, Wis.
James Hoyt/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Former teammates Jerry Kramer and Dave Robinson shake hands on stage during a portion of the Packers playoff pep rally, where players from the 1967 NFL Championship, known as the Ice Bowl, shared memories from the game in front of the Oneida Gate at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Doug Allen of Mastro Auctions, left, presents former Green Bay Packer Jerry Kramer with his Super Bowl I ring during a ceremony at Lambeau Field. The ring was taken 25 years earlier and returned in 2006
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr (15) is helped off the field by guard Jerry Kramer (64) and Dr. James Nellen after injuring his ribs on Green Bay’s first play from scrimmage in a 13-10 victory over the Baltimore Colts in overtime in the Western Division championship game at Lambeau Field on Dec. 26, 1965. Starr had completed a pass to end Bill Anderson, who fumbled. Colts linebacker Don Shinnick recovered and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. Starr was hurt while trying to stop one of Shinnick’s blockers.
Press-Gazette Media archives

Former Green Bay Packers guard Jerry Kramer (1958-68) is introduced at halftime during alumni night events at the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau FIeld on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015.
Dan Powers/Gannett Wisconsin Media/@powrpics

With tackle Forrest Gregg (75) and guard Jerry Kramer (64) leading the way, Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr dives across the goal line for the game-winning touchdown in the NFL championship game -- the Ice Bowl -- at Lambeeau Field on Dec. 31, 1967. Kramer keeps Dallas defensive tackle Jethro Pugh (75) out of the play. The Packers defeated the Cowboys 21-17 on a 13-below day.
Press-Gazette Media archives

Jerry Kramer (64), Ken Bowman (57) and Fuzzy Thurston (63) help teammate Bart Starr (15) re-enact his Ice Bowl-winning touchdown sneak in the south end zone during a fantasy camp at Lambeau Field on June 14, 1992.
Press-Gazette archives

Green Bay Packers fullback Jim Taylor (31) carries the ball on the sweep, led by guards Jerry Kramer (64) and Fuzzy Thurston (63) during a training camp scrimmage on the team's practice field across from new City Stadium on July 26, 1962. Quarterback Bart Starr (15) is at right. Press-Gazette archives
Press-Gazette archives

Fifty years later, Kramer has a strong chance of being part of the Hall of Fame’s class of 2018. A conversation Thursday with executive director Joe Horrigan showed Kramer what ending that long wait would mean not just for him, but everyone who has supported his candidacy.

“Joe has been there forever,” Kramer said, “and he used to say I was about 25 percent of his mail, people (griping) about me not being in. But he said, ‘Jerry, I want you to know that this is going to end about 90 percent of my mail.’ He said, ‘We’ve gotten so many letters for you, and this will take care of about 90 percent of it.’ So that was nice.”

There’s still one obstacle for Kramer to clear. He must now pass the 80 percent vote threshold when the selection committee gathers at Super Bowl LII in February. Kramer, who has approached the precipice before, knows nothing is guaranteed until the final vote.

Kramer, the lone member of the NFL’s 50th anniversary team not enshrined, last was a finalist when the Packers reached Super Bowl XXXI in 1997. Family and friends booked a restaurant in New Orleans to celebrate, thinking his long wait was over. Instead, he failed to pass the vote for the 10th time.

Even now, Kramer said, he remains guarded by his own history with Canton, though he figures to finally break in this time.

“It’s kind of like you’re afraid now,” Kramer said, “after so many disappointments to count on it. So I’m looking at this as a singular event. It’s a wonderful moment, it’s a great honor. It’s an incredible thing for me to have, especially at this age. So if nothing else happens, it’s an incredible honor. It’s a wonderful thing.

"If we are fortunate enough to be inducted into the Hall, then we’re going to blow the doors off.”

Kramer said he watched the Hall of Fame’s selection process “like a hawk” during the first 20 years of his wait. In time, he grew to accept what appeared inevitable, that he would pass through life never getting the call.

He didn’t expect to get another shot at the Hall of Fame after 1997, he said. Even Thursday, Kramer said, he only vaguely was aware the seniors committee would be voting. Kramer said a memorabilia collector from Kenosha first called him with news he was a finalist around 1:30 p.m.

After the conversation, he hung up to find three missed calls from Hall of Fame president David Baker.

“A little disbelief,” is how Kramer described his reaction to learning of his renewed candidacy. “Because I had pretty much gotten comfortable not being in there. I had come to an accommodation with myself, ‘Hey, it’s been a wonderful ride. There’s been a lot of presents. It’s been a great trip. This one is not going to happen, so don’t get your little emotional boat all tippy. Just think of the wonderful presents they’d given you, and the tremendous honors it’s been.’

“So I was fairly comfortable with all of that, and this kind of kicked me in the stomach again. It kind of got everything churned out, and visions of sugar plumbs danced in my wee little head.”

Kramer would be the 13th player from Lombardi’s Packers teams to be enshrined in Canton. He would be the third from the team’s heralded offensive line, joining tackle Forrest Gregg and center Jim Ringo.

Over the years, Kramer watched his teammates enter Canton one by one. Then the next generation began. When Brett Favre was enshrined last year, Kramer said it was too awkward to attend.

“I’ve never been there,” Kramer said, “and I refused to go until I was inducted as part of my little snit with them when my emotional boat was tippy.”

Many, he said, have mistaken him for a Hall of Famer over the years. Each time, he’s been in the awkward position of correcting the record.

Kramer is one vote from never having to answer why he remains outside the Hall of Fame ever again. Fifty years since the Ice Bowl. No, the timing isn’t lost on him.

“It’s almost like there’s kind of an unseen hand,” Kramer said, “where life was good and I was doing fine, everything was OK. Saving some of the best for last."

Former Houston Oilers linebacker Robert Brazile also was nominated by the senior committee.